This dreamy creamy asparagus soup recipe has been a family favourite for years! Its luxurious taste makes it hard to believe that it’s actually VERY quick and easy to prepare – and it’s packed with goodness, too.
Asparagus offers a whole host of nutrients to your little one, including
* Folate – which helps regenerate the body’s cells and protect against certain cancers, stroke and heart disease in later life
* Manganese
* Vitamins A and C
* A range of B vitamins
* Vitamin K
* Fibre
* Protein
* Potassium
* Inulin, which helps protect the gut against “bad” bacteria
One caveat, however, is that asparagus may cause gas (or wind) in some babies. For this reason, some parents choose to delay its introduction into their babies’ diet until around 8 months of age.
For this creamy asparagus soup recipe you will need…
1 bunch of asparagus spears (around 12 oz to 1lb)
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
3 fl oz (1/3 cup) thin cream (single cream in the UK or half and half in the US)
3 tbsp chopped, fresh chives
16 fl oz (2 cups) low sodium or homemade vegetable stock
First, wash the asparagus gently then separate the tender tips from the woody stems. To do this, just bend each spear slowly – it will naturally snap at the point where the tender part ends and the stem begins. Discard the stems or use to make stock and roughly chop the tips.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and the butter together, then add the onion and garlic and saute gently for 5 mins.
Add the asparagus to the pan and continue to saute for a few minutes, then pour in the stock.
Cover and simmer for around 8 mins, until the asparagus is tender.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Finally, add the finely chopped chives (you can leave these out if you want a completely smooth texture, or add them before pureeing), then stir in the cream.
Warm through gently (do not boil), then serve!
Unless your baby is incredibly proficient with a spoon, this soup is a little too runny for him to feed to himself without a great deal of frustration! If he prefers to feed himself (rather than have you spoon feed him) then you will need to thicken up this recipe somewhat.
To do so, add one medium potato (peeled and cut into small dice) to the pan 5 minutes BEFORE you add the asparagus. This adds some substance to the end result without greatly affecting the flavour.
For adults and older children…
Try stirring in the juice of half a lime once the mixture has been pureed. It adds an extra – and delicious – element of flavour!
Please let us know how YOUR family enjoyed our recipe !